


the seeds i've been sowing (could keep this town growing)

by littleblacksubmarines



Category: A Day to Remember (Band), Blink-182
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Prostitution, M/M, Self-Acceptance, Self-Discovery, Sex Work, Slow Build, Slow Burn, learning to love, sex work au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-20 07:02:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15528792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littleblacksubmarines/pseuds/littleblacksubmarines
Summary: Matt Skiba and Jeremy McKinnon are two best friends trying to make their way through life as sex workers. What happens when they meet someone who changes their lives?





	the seeds i've been sowing (could keep this town growing)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [arey0unasty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/arey0unasty/gifts).



> Did I use my favorite Avenger's life story and twist it around a little to fit Jer's life story? Maaaaybe I did, maaaaaybe I didn't.
> 
> Of course I own nothing here, and while this story is fiction, Delores from the coffee cart and Crack Alley are very real. Just ask Lauren, I've sent her snaps of Crack Alley.

“Are you sure you’re okay to be out here?” Matt asked, brushing Jeremy’s face with one of his knuckles, “It’s gonna get cold, and there’s a game, so people are gonna be rowdy. And you’ve got that fever.”

“I’m fine, Matt,” Jeremy scoffed, although he couldn’t hide the smile on his face if he tried, “I can take care of myself. Besides, shouldn’t you be going? It’s Cliff’s night, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, unfortunately,” Matt shuddered, “I’ll be back tonight though. Bye, Jer,” he said, kissing the top of the smaller man’s head and walking briskly down the sidewalk. 

Jeremy sighed, watching Matt go, pulling his jacket tighter around him. He took in his surroundings: standing outside of their barely liveable one bedroom apartment in the North Side of Pittsburgh, a medical helicopter flying overhead to the hospital a few blocks over, a space where Jer had wormed his way into the lobby for heat and a cup of coffee more times than he would like to admit. Matt had actually had his appendix out at that hospital last year, and Jer didn’t leave his side the entire time.

Sighing again, Jeremy began walking down the sidewalk, opting to head down to the North Shore to see if he could score anyone before the football game. He knew that he didn’t have enough money for the bus and didn’t want to walk the four miles to Lawrenceville in the frigid cold to his normal spot. Unlike Matt, Jeremy didn’t have regular customers. Matt had been doing this far longer than Jeremy, and had been kind enough to take the then 20 year old kid under his wing.

Jeremy tries not to think of his life before, of the life he left behind in Florida to come to the city of Pittsburgh, the magical place where three rivers meet, people say ‘yinz’, and put french fries and coleslaw on their sandwiches, which they call ‘hoagies.’ Really, it wasn’t much of a life that he left behind. He’s better off working on the streets with Matt than he ever was with his so-called family. He makes a point to not wallow in his self-pity, however, because Matt left Chicago for basically the same reasons, the only difference being that Matt did it 10 years ago and is still working the streets to this day. 

Nearing the football stadium, Jeremy shakes his head to clear his mind, pulling a joint out of his jacket pocket and lighting up, trying to act as natural as he possibly can. It doesn’t take long for a group of guys to notice him, slithering their way over, asking to share his stash and any other services he offers. Jeremy mentally sighed, letting the group of drunk men lead him to their vehicle, gangbangs would never be his favorite. But it meant more money, and the weed he smoked helped him feel more at ease. Undoing his pants, he closed his eyes and put his game face on.

*

Matt stood in his usual spot as he waited for Cliff, dreading the older man coming to pick him up. Cliff never wore a condom, despite Matt telling him it was part of the deal, always choked Matt, never prepped him enough, if at all, and of course degraded him from the minute he pulled up. 

_Maybe he finally died,_ Matt thought wryly to himself, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket to pass time. A plain black Audi that Matt hadn’t seen before pulled up in front of him, the window going down to reveal a pleasant looking man with dark hair styled in a faux-hawk, Matt guessed, with glasses on.

“Excuse me,” the man started, his deep and even voice startling Matt slightly. 

“Yeah?” Matt asked, bristling, always on the lookout for undercover police. One of his best friends, Randy, was an officer and usually kept Matt and Jer swept under the rug. Randy was a good guy, he had let Matt stay at his house before when he had nowhere left to go. Of course Randy didn’t approve of Matt’s line of work, but he would always be there for Matt when he needed him.

“Are you...are you waiting for someone?” The man in the car asked, ducking his head, like he couldn’t believe he was actually doing this.

“Yeah, I am,” Matt said, turning to walk away, “come back in three hours if you want a turn. Or drive to Lawrenceville and take your pick. Sluts like us are a dime a dozen,” he said, shrugging as he dropped his cigarette and snuffed it out with his boot.

“Where do you usually, uh, hang out?” The man asked, his blue eyes boring holes into Matt.

“Brighton Place,” Matt said with a snarl, enjoying the look of horror cross the stranger’s face, “Lawrenceville, up near Children’s. You wouldn’t believe how many stressed out parents wanna fuck. Sometimes in Oakland, the college kids are good for about a half hour.”

“So where can I find you in three hours?” The man asked, causing Matt to roll his eyes at his persistence.

“Fuckin’ find me,” Matt huffed, “I gotta go,” he said, stalking off to where Cliff was already beeping his horn.

*

Matt didn’t return to any of the spots he had mentioned to the stranger, instead he slipped out of Cliff’s nasty apartment in Millvale, hopping on the bus headed up 28 to the North Side. He got off at the Northside Hospital, slipping into the lobby and sweet talking Delores from the coffee cart into two large coffees and cannolis, before ducking out near the loading docks and hustling through what he and Jer called Crack Alley. He slipped inside, the air just as frigid as it was outside. Working his way through the dark to the bedroom, he smiled softly as he saw Jeremy curled up on the mattress on the floor in a nest of blankets, the kerosene heater near the bed casting an orange glow over him.

“Wake up, little bear, I brought you something,” Matt said, gently placing a hand on what he assumed was Jeremy’s back as he sat down and toed off his boots, reaching for his sweatpants to quickly slide into.

Jeremy mumbled and rolled to face Matt, looking at him with a question in his eyes. Matt handed over the coffee and cannoli, unable to help himself from smiling at the joy on Jer’s face. The two sat side by side, huddled together, enjoying their treats and talking about Jeremy’s earnings from hanging around Heinz Field. They fell asleep not long after, Matt wrapping himself around Jeremy like a protective boa constrictor.

*

Before Matt and Jeremy knew it, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years had all gone by, along with both Jeremy and Matt’s birthdays. Cliff had mysteriously stopped picking Matt up, much to his joy. Jeremy had a regular lady from outside the city that made his skin crawl, she always wanted to do the nastiest things, but she paid extra and she never degraded Jer, and sometimes sent him home with food, so really, he could deal with her and her weird fetishes. 

Matt and Jeremy were standing in Lawrenceville one day, watching the sun try to peek its way out from behind the clouds, when a plain black Audi approached them. Matt, on instinct, put a protective hand on the small of Jeremy’s back, pulling him close to him. There had been a lot of violence toward sex workers lately, and despite Jeremy’s protests, Matt wasn’t letting him go off alone. Once the window rolled down, Matt was surprised to see it was the stranger who had approached him one night on the North Side while he was waiting for Cliff.

“Hello,” the man said pleasantly, smiling slightly, “are you free today?” 

“Only if J gets to come,” Matt said, not moving his hand from Jeremy’s back. 

“Sure, whatever you want,” the man nodded, and Matt heard the click of the doors unlocking. 

“Don’t you want to know how much first?” Jeremy asked, because he was not in the mood to get shorted money, they had been doing so good and even got their water turned back on.

“That’s not an issue, really, come in, guys,” the man said, still smiling politely.

Jeremy turned and looked at Matt skeptically before sliding into the backseat, waiting for Matt to join him.  
“My name is Mark,” the man offered once the two were secured in the backseat.

Jeremy nodded his hello and Matt just grunted, he didn’t bother much with pleasantries anymore. 

“What can I call you?” Mark asked Matt, his blue eyes staring holes into Matt, making him shiver.

“Um, just call me T,” Matt mumbled, never liking to give out his real name.

“Huh, J and T. JT. Like Justin Timberlake,” Mark chuckled, seeming quite pleased with himself, before driving off toward the strip.

 _Fuckin’ lame,_ Matt thought, rolling his eyes and nudging Jeremy slightly.

*

“The Pennsylvanian Apartments? Very nice,” Matt let out a low whistle as Mark parked his car and led the men inside the luxurious apartment building.

“I’ve only ever dreamed about being somewhere this nice,” Jeremy whispered, following behind Mark and Matt like a lost puppy.

Mark just smiled blandly, leading them to the elevator and pressing the button for his floor. At his apartment, he unlocked the door, pushing it open and allowing Matt and Jeremy in first. He couldn’t help the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as they quietly gasped, taking in the sights of the apartment and the amazing views of the city from the windows.

“So, uh, what are you looking for today?” Matt asked suddenly, turning to face Mark with his face set in a hard line, “Condoms are required, we have them if you don’t. Our prices are the same, but it’s double for both of us.”

“Oh, uh, well, I wasn’t looking for anything,” Mark said, leaning back against the kitchen island, “I actually own a couple bars on the South Side and was wondering if you guys would like to try some food and drinks that I’m thinking of adding to the menu.”

“That’s what you picked us up for? To feed us like charity cases? The fuck is this, fuckin’ Catcher in the Rye?” Matt asked incredulously, as Jeremy pulled on his arm and whispered something Mark couldn’t make out.

“I’ll still be paying you for your time,” Mark offered, which sent Matt into another tangent. 

“J,” Mark said gently, turning to the smaller man who had since given up on trying to calm Matt down.

“Yes sir,” Jeremy whispered, feeling unsure of himself with Mark’s intense gaze on him. 

“When was the last time you ate something?” He asked gently, heart rapidly sinking at the look of fear crossing Jeremy’s face.

“J, don’t answer him,” Matt snapped, moving to stand in front of Jeremy, ready to give Mark a piece of his mind when Mark spoke again.

“J, would you please take your shirt off for me?” Mark asked softly, taking his wallet out of his back pocket and setting it on the island, staring Matt in the eyes. 

Jeremy quietly slipped out of his jacket, followed by his zip up sweatshirt, and finally taking off his t-shirt, putting them gently on the floor. He stared at a point on the wall past Mark, who was carefully walking towards him, taking in his tattooed arms and ribs sticking out of his skin, and his hipbones jutting out where his jeans rested. Mark gently ran a finger over each of Jeremy’s protruding ribs and hips, before turning and staring at Matt, going into the kitchen and pulling food out of the fridge.

Jeremy gave Matt a look of confusion, hastily pulling his clothes on, while Matt shrugged and sat down at the island, pulling out a stool for Jeremy.

*

That night, after what had to be the best meal Jeremy had ever eaten in his life, Mark had dropped him and Matt off at the bottom of their hill, with a promise to see them again soon.

“Well that certainly was weird, but probably the best time I’ve ever had with a client,” Jeremy said to Matt, unlocking their door and lighting a candle.

“You’re telling me. Homeboy paid all that money just to feed us and let me be mean to him? Something’s wrong there,” Matt said, counting the money they had made, “But the sad thing is, we made more money tonight just from him than we would’ve from three other people.”

*

Spring had flown by, and summer was well under way as Mark continued to pick up Matt and Jeremy on almost a daily basis. They didn’t have to satisfy the needs of random customers anymore, as the money they had been making off of Mark had been enough to keep them afloat and keep them propelling forward. Matt was coming around more with Mark, laughing and joking with him, entertaining his wack-ass sense of humor, even helping Mark cook sometimes. Mark had never picked up Jeremy alone, and never picked up Matt alone. He knew they were a packaged deal.

Around Memorial Day, Mark had given Matt and Jeremy an invitation to a new bar that he was opening on the South Side. With their extra money, Matt and Jeremy got themselves new outfits and haircuts for their night on the town. Stepping inside of the new bar, Jeremy locked eyes with the bartender and felt like he was punched in the stomach. This man was the most beautiful person Jeremy had ever laid his eyes on. He was about 6 foot tall, with tattoos adorning both arms, and a full reddish-brown beard. He had a contagious laugh, and Jeremy knew he had to hear it more.

Matt smiled at the lovesick look on Jeremy’s face, hoping that this would finally be Jer’s chance at happiness. The kid deserved it more than anyone, Matt thought, as he gave him a gentle nudge towards the bar. He looked around, feeling more at ease with himself than he had in a long time, smiling when his eyes met Mark’s. Mark hustled across the room to greet him, pulling him into a hug, and Matt’s chest tightened. _Shit,_ he thought. He had fucked up big time. He developed feelings for someone.

*

For the next week, all Matt heard about was Kevin. Kevin this, Kevin that. Kevin is actually from Minnesota and is going to school at Duquesne, Kevin has a dog named Banjo, Kevin has sisters and nice parents, Kevin plays guitar. Jeremy was a man obsessed, texting and Snapchatting him all day. Matt found it hilariously cute, he couldn’t even feel annoyed that his best friend had a high school crush on someone. 

“When are you and Mark going to go out?” Jeremy asked Matt one night as they sat on the roof, smoking a bowl and watching helicopters land and take off from Northside Hospital. 

Matt scoffed, shaking his head, “Mark wouldn’t want to go out with me. I’m just a washed up hooker. He doesn’t even want to have sex with me.”

“That’s because he actually likes you as a person,” Jer huffed, “he’s too afraid of doing something to push you away. Next time he asks you to stay, you should.”

Matt shrugged, taking a hit from the bowl and passing it back to Jer, “have you stayed at Kevin’s yet?”

“Not yet. He’s got a little place in Oakland, though, not far from Duq,” Jer said, staring off to the West End, near where they used to stand. 

“Do you think that some day, we we won’t be hookers anymore?” Matt asked, though he could hardly believe himself.  
“Yeah, actually. And I think it may be sooner than we think,” Jer whispered, leaning against Matt. 

*

“Let’s get down to brass tacks,” Mark said the next day when he picked them up, and Matt’s stomach instantly dropped. _This is it,_ he thought. Mark was going to reveal his secret sex room or his masochistic side, or even worse, say that he was done with Matt and Jer.

“I want you guys to work at the Tavern,” Mark said, turning to look at the men in the backseat, a bright smile on his face.

“You what?” Matt asked, relief flooding over him.

“Yeah. Kevin is my only bartender and he’s going to be going back to school at the end of the summer. I want to bring you guys in now, get you trained and everything, that way it’ll be a smooth transition. You can take some time to think about it, if you’d like,” Mark added at the end as he began to drive to his apartment.

“I’m in!” Jeremy chimed, excitement growing in his chest. He finally was going to escape the cold grasp of the life that he hated.

*

“Stay the night?” Mark whispered to Matt, who was almost asleep on his couch.

Matt looked across the living room to the other couch, where Jer and Kevin were wrapped up in each other, sleeping soundly. He looked back at Mark, nodding softly, “do you want me to sleep with you or out here?”

“Um, wherever you feel more comfortable,” Mark said, flushing slightly, “I have a spare room if you’d rather sleep in there.”

Matt just nodded again, pulling Mark into a hug to express his thanks, padding off to the spare room. Just as he was about to turn the doorknob, he turned to Mark, a soft expression on his face that Mark had never seen before.

“It would be an honor to work for you at the Tavern,” he said, slipping into the spare room quietly. 

Mark smiled, clutching his chest as he made his way into his own bedroom.

*  
As summer creeped by, Kevin asked Jeremy out on a real, official date. They went to a great spot on Mount Washington and to a Pirates game, Matt and Mark taking pictures like proud parents. Matt and Jeremy still had their North Side apartment, although they were hardly there. Matt spent most of his time at Mark’s, and Jeremy was either at Mark’s or Kevin’s.

Matt and Mark were currently on Mark’s balcony, enjoying ice cream sundaes, watching what they could of the Pirate game. The conversation was easy and flowed naturally, and Matt felt truly relaxed for the first time in over ten years, quite possibly for the first time ever.

“I think I love you,” Mark whispered to Matt, grabbing his hand gently, causing Matt to jump.

Matt felt panic coursing through his veins, he didn’t know how to act, what to do, what to say. He threw his ice cream bowl and spoon in the sink, tugged on his Vans, and ran out the door, leaving Mark sputtering protests in his dust. He ran the whole way out of downtown, walking along the North Shore trying to catch his breath.

How could someone like Mark Hoppus love Matt Skiba? Matt was a 33 year old prostitute with a drug abuse history, that’s not exactly boyfriend material. Matt had never had a healthy relationship in his life, he didn’t know what love was. He’d been on his own, working the streets for seven years until he met Jeremy. Jer was all he had, all the love he’d ever known. 

*

Matt lay on his back on the mattress he and Jeremy had shared for three years when a knock on the door broke him from his thoughts. He jumped and panicked, no one but him and Jer knew about this place, and Jeremy surely wouldn’t be knocking on the door. Matt grabbed his pair of brass knuckles, clutching a double bladed knife in his other hand, heading for the door.

When he swung the door open, he wasn’t expecting to see Mark there, smiling softly at him.

“Mind if I come in?” Mark asked Matt, who scoffed.

“Why? So you can see what a shithole I really am? What kind of place I live in so that you can feel better about taking a hooker off the streets?”

“No, Matt. The way I feel about you has nothing to do with where you’re from or what you do for a living. I like you for who you are as a person,” Mark said gently, “Please, Matt. Give me a chance. I want to make you as happy as Kevin makes Jeremy.”

“Fine. But we’re going to your place, I fuckin’ hate it here,” Matt mumbled, throwing his weapons down and meeting Mark on the steps.

*

“So tell me more about you,” Kevin said to Jeremy, wrapping an arm around him and pulling him in close as they walked down the Boulevard of the Allies. 

“There isn’t much to tell,” Jeremy mumbled, his face heating up. He’d been avoiding telling Kevin about him, didn’t want to scare away the object of his affections with his shitty life story. 

“Sure there is,” Kevin said brightly, “I want to know everything there is to know about you, Jez.”

“I don’t want to scare you off, Kev, I really like you,” Jeremy whined, but Kevin stopped them short on the sidewalk, grabbing his face gently and bending down to kiss him softly. 

“I know we haven’t known each other long, but I really feel like I’ve known you my whole life. I’ve never felt this way around anyone, Jer. I promise I want this, and I promise to be here for the long haul. I want you to be able to trust me, be able to open up to me,” Kevin said, looking into Jeremy’s eyes. 

Jeremy felt his eyes well up with tears, he felt the same way that Kevin did, but was afraid of opening up and letting the other man know him. 

“How about we wait until we get back to your place?” Jeremy asked, smiling at Kevin. 

 

Kevin just nodded, kissing Jeremy again before lacing their fingers together and continuing the walk to his apartment. 

*

Matt and Mark were curled up on Mark’s couch watching a movie that Matt couldn’t remember the name of. Mark was asleep, Matt was laying on his chest, listening to his steady breathing. Matt sent a text to Jeremy, asking if he was okay, and Jer sent back a picture of him, Kevin, and Banjo on Kevin’s couch in a similar position. 

Matt drifted off to sleep himself, and woke up to the credits at the end of the movie. 

“Mark, wake up,” he said, brushing the man’s cheek. 

Mark just mumbled, causing Matt to chuckle. 

“Mark, wake up and take me to bed,” Matt said, giving his new boyfriend a kiss on the cheek. 

Mark woke up, smiling at Matt, grabbing the side of his face and raising his eyebrows in a question. Matt nodded, letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, letting Mark press his lips against his in a chaste kiss. 

“I’ve wanted to do that for a while now,” Mark said, grinning at Matt. 

“Yeah, me too,” Matt whispered, pulling Mark in for another kiss. 

*

“So I first ran away when I was 13. Dad was a drunk, killed my mom in a car accident. He’d hit anything that moved,” Jeremy said, staring at the ceiling, ruffling Banjo’s fur. He could hear Kevin make a noise in the back of his throat. 

“I didn’t have any other family, though. So I stayed with different friends, and lived in a tent for my last two years of high school. I played baseball my whole life, and I fucking miss it every day. But then I met a girl who lived here in Pittsburgh, and she told me it was great, that Pennsylvania was the promised land. So I caught a ride up here with her and her girlfriend in the back of their 1960’s VW bus that didn’t go over 50 miles an hour. Then when I got here, realized I didn’t have shit to my name, and had no real skills to get a job.

“So these girls hooked me up with a guy they knew, who taught me how to give head and I got real good at it. The only thing I knew how to do was fuck. So that’s what I’ve been doing for the past three years, fucking my way through life and barely making it by. Matt and I live up by Brighton Place, near Northside Hospital. We never had heat, electric, and only sometimes had water. We shared a bed to stay warm. I’ve been beat up by countless customers, arrested by undercover cops that just got done fucking me and liking it, degraded every day. 

“And then I met Mark. Matt and I were skeptical at first, that someone actually cared about us. Mark is great. He never asked us for sex, even though we offered him, it’s just what we do. But Matt’s my best friend. He’s all I’ve had the last three years, took me under his wing, picked me up and wiped my tears on countless occasions. He’s the only love I’ve ever known since my mom died, and that was when I was four,” Jeremy said, his voice cracking, tears falling down his face. He only told Matt his story, and he missed his mom terribly. He didn’t even know if his dad was still alive. 

Kevin softly thumbed away Jeremy’s tears, and Jeremy saw tears on Kevin’s face. 

“So there’s that. I understand if you don’t want to be with me. You’re going to be a nurse, Kevin. You’re going to work with little tiny babies and kids and make them better. You don’t want some washed up ex prostitute,” Jeremy said. 

“Jer, baby. I promise you that I will never let anyone touch you again. I would fight an entire war by myself to keep you safe. You mean the world to me. I’ll give you all my love every day, if you’ll let me. You don’t ever have to go back to Brighton Place, and you can work at the bar for the rest of your life if it makes you happy,” Kevin said, pulling Jeremy close to him. 

“Thank you, Kevin. My mom was a nurse, too. Before life went to shit, all I wanted to do was be a nurse like her and play baseball,” Jeremy said, feeling Kevin’s arms tighten around him. 

“We can make both of those things happen, just you wait and see, babe. I’m gonna give you the world.”

**Author's Note:**

> Lauren and I have taken it upon ourselves to revive this fandom so here we are. Also shoutout to Lauren for listening to me talk about this AU, giving me ideas, and also for just being my best friend. This one's for you, b.<3


End file.
